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Angwa Rukuba Trial: DSS Witness Links Suspect to Multiple Attacks in Riyom
A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos on Friday heard allegations that one of the suspects standing trial over the 2026 Angwa Rukuba killings led more than 100 armed militants in attacks on communities in Riyom Local Government Area of the state.
The suspect, Adamu Alhassan Isa, popularly known as “Shagari Bangai,” is among four persons arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in connection with the Palm Sunday attack on Angwa Rukuba community in Jos North Local Government Area, which claimed about 30 lives.
The other suspects standing trial are Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar, also known as Auwalu Dogo, and Musa Abubakar Ibrahim, popularly called Yaroro. Another suspect, Ado Ibrahim, remains at large.
The defendants are facing charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, illegal possession of firearms, and unlawful dealing in arms and ammunition.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecution presented a DSS operative as its witness, who testified on the alleged involvement of Adamu Alhassan in a series of violent attacks across Plateau State.
According to the witness, the defendant admitted in a confessional statement that he led more than 100 armed militiamen in coordinated attacks on Vom and several surrounding villages in Riyom Local Government Area.
The DSS operative further told the court that investigations revealed that over ₦4 million suspected to be proceeds linked to terrorism financing was discovered in the defendant’s bank account at the time of his arrest.
The witness gave the testimony before Justice Danladi Longden as the prosecution continued to present evidence against the accused persons.
During cross-examination, counsel to the defendant, Mustapha Ibrahim Shaba (SAN), requested Certified True Copies of statements made by both the arresting officer and the investigating officer.
The defence argued that the documents were necessary to compare with photocopies already supplied by the prosecution as part of the trial process.
Following the application, the court directed the prosecution to make the requested documents available to the defence.
Justice Longden subsequently adjourned the matter to July 3, 2026, for continuation of hearing and further proceedings in the case.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned Sanusi Dankaka before a Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations that he threatened to release nude photographs and videos of Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf on Facebook.
Dankaka was brought before Justice Salim Ibrahim on Monday to answer a two-count charge relating to alleged cybercrime offences. He pleaded not guilty to both counts.
Following his plea, the court ordered that he be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja pending the commencement of his trial.
The case centres on allegations that Dankaka used his Facebook account, identified as Sanusi Dankaka Yahaya, to claim that he possessed nude photographs and videos of Governor Yusuf and threatened to make them public.
The DSS accused the defendant of publishing the alleged content in October 2026. The agency also alleged that other individuals, who have not been identified and remain at large, were involved in the alleged offences.
According to the charge sheet, the prosecution considers the alleged publications to be unlawful under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/699/2026, was filed on October 22 by the DSS prosecutor, Yusuf Afegbua.
In the first count, the agency alleged that Dankaka and others still at large used his Facebook page to publish malicious content while in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The prosecution said the defendant claimed to have nude videos and photographs of the Kano governor and threatened to release them to the public.
It argued that the alleged conduct amounted to an offence under Section 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act, punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law.
The second count focused on the alleged circulation of the same claims on Facebook.
The DSS accused Dankaka of knowingly publishing false information with the intention of causing annoyance, inconvenience, insult and injury to the governor’s person and reputation.
The agency said the alleged act was contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1) of the Cybercrimes Act, as amended.
However, the allegations have not been established in court. Dankaka pleaded not guilty, and the prosecution is expected to present its evidence during the trial.
When the matter was called on Monday, Afegbua informed the court that the case was scheduled for arraignment and that the prosecution was prepared to proceed.
The defendant’s lawyer, Kauna Penzin, also confirmed her readiness to proceed with the matter.
After the charges were read to Dankaka, he entered his plea of not guilty to both counts. The prosecution then requested a trial date to enable it to prove the allegations against him.
Afegbua also asked the court to order the defendant’s remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending further proceedings. Penzin did not oppose the application.
Justice Ibrahim subsequently granted the request and adjourned the case until December 7 for the commencement of trial.
The remand order means Dankaka will remain in custody pending further proceedings, subject to any subsequent order of the court.
The next stage of the case is expected to focus on the prosecution’s evidence regarding the alleged Facebook publications, the claims made against the governor and the circumstances surrounding the reported threat to release the purported photographs and videos.
The court will also have to consider the evidence presented in support of the charges before determining whether the prosecution has established the alleged offences.
The DSS will have the opportunity to present its case when proceedings begin on December 7, while the defence will be able to challenge the prosecution’s evidence.
The court’s decision to remand the defendant does not amount to a finding of guilt. The final determination will depend on the evidence and arguments presented during the trial.
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has hinted that the 2027 general election might be postponed due to the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria.
The Director General of NCDC, Jide Idris, said if Ebola spreads wide enough, the Nigerian government might need to postpone the 2027 general election.
The 2027 general election is scheduled to start in January and politicians vying for office have begun their campaigns.
While the country moves towards 2027, there has been an outbreak of Ebola cases in Nigeria, in the past few days.
However, Idris disclosed that no government will use Ebola as a political tool.
Featuring on Channels Television's Politics Today, he said: "We in the health sector did not use disease issues as a political weapon.
"We hope the election will not be postponed but if the thing gets wide enough that might be considered, as at now there is no need for that.
"This Ebola thing started in DRC a couple of months ago and we were tracking, they said for you to track again there is a possibility that it may get here due to our population movement, flight into this country, and ports of entry, yet it came, no government will use Ebola as a political weapon."
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